Prisoner
by missmystery27
Summary: Hermione is working as head auror and is engaged to Ron. She is appointed to check for any hints to put young Malfoy into Azkaban. Will she succeed? And if she will, will it bring her happiness that she thought it will? Is Draco really guilty or is it all a big set up? My first story, please read and review :)
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All characters belongs to the brilliant J.K. Rowling. I'm just borrowing her characters.

Important before you start reading the story:

Voldemort is dead, most of his Death Eaters have been killed or captured and put in Azkaban. Story starts two years after Voldemort's death and trio's seventh year, well two years after the seventh book.

Enough said, I hope you will enjoy this story. And please review, tell me your opinion on this story, but remember that this is my first story, so don't be too harsh. Also, English is not my first language, so if there are any mistakes (I think there are), please tell me and I will try to correct them, I apologize for mistakes in advance.

It was an ordinary day for young Hermione Granger. She was sitting in her office doing the same job she has been doing for the last two years, she was reading reviews from last raids. While reading those reviews she always got feeling that people working with her either weren't qualified for their work or didn't care or know how to write a proper sentence in their reviews. She was bored. It's not that she disliked her work at the ministry, she liked it in the beginning and it was a very well paid job, but the same things day after day started to bore her. Sure she thought that every law-breaking should be punished, but if she compared all these crimes to the crimes that were committed in second wizarding war, those couldn't even be considered real crimes. It's not that she wasn't interested in justice, it's just that those reviews were all the same, day after day. Sometimes she almost felt like she was reading Rita Skeeter's writings over and over again.

There was a small knock on the door. Hermione lifted her head and before her stood Ron. She quickly ran to him, hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. This made Ron become all red. Hermione smiled at this, Ron still didn't get used of them being engaged and not just friends or classmates. He lifted up around twenty envelopes that were lying before Hermione's door and handed them to her. He quickly told her that his parents invited them on a dinner next Saturday and left because he had much work to do in his department.

Hermione went back to her desk and looked at the envelopes. She already knew what was written in them by just looking at them. They all started with telling her how good her work was and ended with suggestions that she and her aurors should check again Malfoy Manor. She got those same messages nearly every day and they were really frustrating her, even more than those stupid reviews. "Bullshit, there's no way Malfoy would be hiding dark objects in his manor." Hermione knew that Malfoy Manor was full of dark objects before the war ended, hell, Voldemort himself lived there for some time, but she also knew that Draco was way too smart to keep lying around some dangerous dark stuff that would put him in Azkaban.

Hermione Granger was furious. She screamed at the auror in training that asked her how to calm down Cornwall pixies. She was really mad.

In the morning the minister of magic, Percy Weasley, lectured her about being irresponsible, because she didn't check Malfoy manor one more time since citizens of wizarding world wrote her a million letters about this already and she ignored them. Percy also told her that some people said that they saw Malfoy junior using some dark objects and that they could sense the dark magic while passing one of the biggest manors in Britain. But the thing that shocked her the most was the thing that Percy said to her: "Hermione, you are one of best and most hard-working people I know and that ever worked in the ministry, but you know that wizarding world is still very panicked and they want to put in prison all people that were somehow connected with you know..amm, well The Dark Lord. Malfoy family was publicly linked with him and with Narcissa and Lucius both dying in the last battle, no Malfoy paid for the crimes yet. People want to see Draco in prison because he is the last and only Malfoy still alive and in their opinion he should pay for everything his ancestors and him did while you know who was ruling our world. I also know that my position as a minister is on shaking grounds and I may lose it if I don't respect people's wishes and I don't want that happening. This is why I'm giving you this ultimatum now, you either go to Malfoy manor and check for any possible things that are connected to Voldemort or you will be sacked. I'm sorry to say this because you are my brother's girlfriend and will be part of our family soon, but this is purely business. And let me assure you that if you don't go to that damn manor, I will send some other aurors there and I will put that little Malfoy rat in the prison for the rest of his life."

When she got back in her office she loudly closed her door and went to her desk. She kicked trash bin and threw a vase in the door, so it broke into pieces that went flying all around the room. After some moments of just sitting in her office she took a deep breath, took the paper on which was written permission to check out the mighty Malfoy manor and went to her secretary.

When Hermione got into the small office of her secretary that was located just in front of her own she looked around a bit and spotted her secretary flirting with one of the aurors. This wasn't the first time Hermione spotted her flirting with one of the office aurors, trying to get the to invite her out. Amelia, her secretary, was a nice young woman, but Hermione knew that she was also calculative and egoistic. Amelia always turned with wind, she always did what would bring her more profit and didn't know loyalty, that's why Hermione disliked her very much. "Amelia! Call Dean, Tracy, Cho and Terry. We are going to Malfoy manor. Tell them not to tell this to anyone and you also try not to mention this to anyone except the four of them and the minister, is this clear?" Without waiting for any response from Amelia, Hermione turned on her heels and went back to her office.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: All characters belongs to the brilliant J.K. Rowling. I'm just borrowing her characters.

I will update new chapters of this story as soon as possible, stay tuned. And remember, reviews will make me write faster.

The four aurors came to Hermione's office ten minutes later and after a brief introduction of what they work in Malfoy manor will be from head auror, the five of them apparated to the front gates of Malfoy manor.

After a minute the gate door opened, it seemed like the young Malfoy master somehow knew that they were coming. The path between the gates and manor was quite long, huge garden on each side of the path. Just before the grand entrance were two huge sphinx that were giving signs of torture and made Hermione shiver.

They finally reached the big black door and Hermione knocked. Five aurors waited for around two minutes before the door was opened by no one else then the manor owner, Draco Malfoy.

Hermione stayed surprised, she didn't expect Malfoy to look the way he looked. He stood tall, he must have been tall at least 6'2 and had short hair, a little longer than in school but still quite short. He wore black pants and black shirt which was a little lously put on him. Hermione had a feeling that he put it that lously on purpose. It was crystal clear that Draco got ready for their visit, but she wasn't sure how he had known that they were coming, since their visit was supposed to be a surprise and top guarded secret.

Without any word she showed him the ministry permission to check the manor and went inside his home right by him. While moving right by him, they touched and the most strange and uncomfortable sensation went through her body, a sensation she couldn't quite place and decided to ignore it. Her four aurors followed her inside, making head notions to Draco, who was soon left alone in the corridor.

Without hesitation, Hermione started to give orders. "Dean, you are going with Tracy to the basement, Terry you will go to the first floor, Cho, you are going to take over the ground floor.I want you to check every little corner of every room, all hidden places, every closet, every cup. If you fail to check one inch of the room you are checking you will respond directly to the minister of magic. We will be here as many days as needed, until we find something. Now off to work." Dean, Tracy, Terry and Cho nodded and quickly went to the floor they were appointed.

"You, mister Malfoy, come with me to do living room, I need to interrogate you." Hermione said word mister in a casual, yet a little different voice, just to assure him how little she cared about him and his looks.

Just behind the doors of the entrance hall was a huge living room. It was decorated beautifully, furniture was stylish, mostly in beige, but it all looked perfect with pastel green tapestries. They sat on armchairs opposite one another, so they were able to look directly at each other.

"So, where are we gonna start? With memories and all the merry memories from school or with business?" Draco's question was full of arrogance, his eyes falling on her cleavage. She felt and knew that he tried to intimidate her, but she wasn't going to allow him to play this little game of his with her. Without another thought she put on her jacket, ignoring the fact that it was summer and therefore really hot. It was the beginning of August and instead of being out on the sun, with her friend and family, she was sitting in this huge mansion with her (former?) enemy, this thought made her stomach flip with sickness. "So, mister Malfoy, when was the last time you visited Knockturn Alley?" Malfoy still had his arrogant smirk on his face. He lazily made himself more comfortable in his armchair and put legs on a small coffee table. He took out his wand and waved with it. Suddenly a bottle of finest liquor and two glasses appeared in front of them. After another wave liquor from the bottle poured into the glasses. "When was the last time we saw each other? Before one, two years? How were you all this time? I've heard that you got engaged to the Weasley before three months, is this true?" He gave her a glass. "You are changing the subject Malfoy. I think you forgot this is ministry business and that I'm asking questions here this time. You are in no position of asking anything. I can arrest you this instant because of non cooperation and I can do with you whatever I want." Hermione got up furiously. She hated being near him, hated being in his house, hated him for his calmness and she hated how he always managed to get out the best of her and make her mad even if she tried to stay as calm as possible. "Hah, seems like Miss Granger became a little wilder and dangerous than I remember from our Hogwarts days." Draco continued to play his game. "Does it bother you?" asked Hermione accepting it. "No, it suits you. Please, sit down, liquor is better than it looks." Hermione took the glass and slowly drank its content. He was right, it was good, very good. She felt how the liquid made its way to her blood, she could feel it slowly moving through her veins. She put down her glass and got back to business, she had to concentrate. "When did you say was the last time you've visited Knockturn Alley?" "I believe I didn't tell you yet." he said with a lazy smirk. Hermione was getting frustrated and angry, she shot Malfoy a really dangerous look. He just smirked and said "Last Friday. I visited Borgin and Burkes. I bought...something smaller". Hermione smiled happily, she finally heard what she wanted and she was sure he won't want to answer her next question. "And what was that smaller thing you bought?"


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: All characters belongs to the brilliant J.K. Rowling. I'm just borrowing her characters.

Please read and tell me what you think about this story in reviews.

Hermione thought she had finally cornered Malfoy, she was sure he won't tell her what he bought in the shop where mostly dark and dangerous objects were sold. Draco smirked again and replied without much hesitation "Slytherin's ring, very well preserved and without any magical powers. It costed around..150 Galleons." Hermione was angry, she thought that she finally had something, but no, the little brat must go and destroy the last and only card she had had in her sleeve. And he told her the price of the ring like it was nothing, like it was only a few Sickles. She was brought back to reality by Draco's amused voice. "Anything else, miss Granger? I'm assuming that we are near to the end of the interrogation and I think that we can go back to that forgotten glass of liquor." Hermione was angry, but mostly disappointed. Percy sent her to the manor so she could find something, something with what she could charge him and put him into the darkest cell of Azkaban. She knew she won't find anything even before she stepped into the manor, either Malfoy really didn't possess any dark objects anymore or he hid them very well. Hermione picked her bag and got up from the comfortable chair she was sitting in. "Well, mister Malfoy, thank you for your time, I will call off my aurors and.." "Are you sure that they looked in, wait, how did you say? Every corner of every room, even my closets and cups. You said that you would take even days to check out my whole home, but now it seems that you changed your mind. Do you really think that I don't hide anything or that your aurors are that quick and efficient? Or is it my presence that bothers you? Which of those will it be, miss Granger?" This made Hermione's blood rush with anger. Without saying anything to Malfoy, she called off her aurors, turned on her heels and almost ran to the big entrance door. "You can come visit me anytime Granger, you are not such bad company as you were back in our school day", he said with a wink. Just as Hermione was about to snap back something and turned to go back to the living room, she hit her head with Draco's chin. "Don't even think about me returning to this manor for business, let alone for just to pay you a visit." Without waiting for any reply from Draco, she opened the door and quickly made her way towards the front gate from where she could apparate.

After the visit of the Malfoy manor, Hermione returned home. She was angry. She knew that visiting the manor was a bad idea. And Malfoy? He clearly didn't realize that he was about to be put in Azkaban soon, he just made the searching of the manor harder. Of one thing she was sure, if it was on her, she won't return to that place ever again.

One hour and a shower later, an owl waited for Hermione outside the window. She recognised it immediately, it was ministry's owl with a howler. "Great, the only thing I needed." Hermione opened the howler. She expected what would be written inside. Minister Weasley screamed at her about how easy she wanted to give on the investigation and how is it possible that five aurors haven't found anything in the manor. He wanted, no, not wanted, he required that we have to go back there tomorrow and the day after tomorrow and the day after the day after tomorrow etc. until we find something with what he will put Draco Malfoy in prison.

There was a sudden knock on the door. Ron. Because of all her work and Malfoy on her head, she forgot that her fiancée was coming over for the dinner tonight. She forgot to cook some food. She quickly went to open the door and greeted her boyfriend. Together they cooked some pasta. "So, honey, how was your day? Did you do anything interesting today?" Ron asked the wrong question. Hermione suddenly got all worked up about Percy being an idiot and the stupid and pointless assignment he gave her. "And that little brat was making fun of the investigation and refused to cooperate while I was interrogating him. He was always smirking at me, like he knew that we won't find anything and were just wasting my time, like we were there for his pure amusement." Ron put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her lightly on her forehead. "It will be okay honey, I'm sure you will soon find something to put that little ferret in the prison, I know you will. You know that Percy is trying to do what people want and what he thinks is correct, you know that people hate Malfoys since they publicly worked with You know who, ferret is the only Malfoy and therefore he will pay for everything." Hermione wasn't sure what was going on anymore, she was supposed to find proofs that someone was guilty and then the ministry would decide their sentence, but it seemed like Malfoy already got his sentence, the only thing that was missing was one small proof and he would get a one-way ticket to Azkaban. Hermione wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing with this investigation, sure she hated Malfoy and she knew that he had worked with Voldemort before his fall, but she wasn't sure if he was as guilty as people were saying. "I don't know Ron, I think Percy is too obsessed with idea to throw Malfoy in prison, he's not thinking with his own head anymore, he only listens what people are saying and he's trying to make them happy so he wouldn't lose his precious minister throne. Besides, no one ever talks about how Malfoy gave us useful information which helped us to defeat the Dark Lord." She was sorry to say this about her fiancée's brother, but she and he knew she was right. "You know what, it's best I go. I know my brother isn't perfect, but he's trying." Ron got up and went towards the door. "Ron, wait, I didn't mean it like this, Ron!" But he was already out of the apartment. Hermione was on verge of tears, everything went wrong today: she got on ultimatum about her job, Malfoy played with her and as if it wasn't enough already, she got in fight with her fiancée.


End file.
